The Dragon's Flame Queen ✔

✔XXXV - Now this calls for a Game

The breakfast was served in Demian's room as Seraphina started to devour it and the delicious taste lingered on her tongue. She moaned as her belly stopped flipping as soon as she fed it. 

"Where have you been?" She asked as she chewed on her food. 

"In my study room." Demian said as Seraphina thought next time she would visit him there. 

As if Demian read her thoughts he added, "And don't you dare come there as well, for I'm very busy with the approaching conference and I can't entertain you now."

Seraphina glared at him, "I wasn't going to come." 

"Good to hear."

Seraphina chomped on her food in a grumpy manner and in a very unladylike way that if Celia had seen her she would have smacked her head with the bowl she had finished her soup with. 

She peeked at her husband as he took small bites and chewed on it in a very aristocratic manner. 

"What is the meeting for?"

Demian looked at her, "What?"

"You said that Casian had come regarding the unrest in the Northwest. What is happening there?"

"Well, the Duke there, Lord Heartstone is terrorising his own people. He raised the taxes there while buying the crops, goods with lower budget and I've been informed, if the common class people couldn't pay the taxes in time, they had to give their lands and sometimes all the goods without getting anything in return."

Seraphina halted as she heard this. "Why would he do that to his own people?"

"Wealth, power or it could be a political influence," Demian looked at her and shrugged, "Men are cruel, Seraphina, they find it entertaining when other people suffer otherwise, it won't show off their power."

"But," Seraphina placed her spoon on the bowl, "that's not the right way to show your powers. That's—that's cruel."

"Indeed. It is. But that's why people will fear you like they fear us, the Salamanders." Demian said as he was finished with his meal and tilted his head toward Seraphina, "but sometimes, you can just spread rumors to make people always wary of yourself."

"So..." Seraphina had heard the rumors about Demian from Celia and she asked, "The rumors about you were actually fake?" 

Demian gave her a smile, a genuine smile, "No. They were all true."

Seraphina nodded as she returned the smile, "Ah, well, then." She stood up almost ready to leave, "I shall go to my room. Now that I have finished my—"

Demian grabbed a hold of her hand and jolted her against him as she sat down where she was seated before, their faces became close as a smirk played on his lips, "Why, are you, perhaps, scared that I'll turn into a cruel Prince as the rumors said?"

Seraphina diverted her eyes as her heart thumped and she said, "What! No! You and scary!" She laughed nervously and added, "You can never scare me away."

"Even if I turn into a monster?" He asked and Seraphina looked into his eyes. As the deepest sea held many secrets in its womb, his deep blue eyes held something of their own. It was mysterious, yet alluring. 

She wanted to ask what will happen when he turn fourteen. Would he go berserk and kill her? Would his curse consume him whole? Would he forget her, their days spent together? Everything? 

Seraphina took a breath to say something but a knock set them apart. Demian retreated himself as he loosened her hand. 

"Your Highness, now we shall go to the study as I have come across all the details of the meeting," Master Valentine said as Demian nodded while taking his coat.